…for workers?
Your Eyewitness wonders if there’s anything besides “ego” that makes the PNC-led APNU/AFC coalition Government insist in traducing hundreds of years of Parliamentary tradition by having PM Nagamootoo AND Finance Minister Jordan wrap up their Budget presentation – after the Opposition Leader Jagdeo speaks? If Parliamentary democracy’s about anything, it’s that rules and traditions are meant to ensure fairness.
In the summation of arguments from the two sides, it is seen as “fair” for the Opposition Leader to represent his “side” and the Finance Minister to represent the Government’s. Where’s the “fairness” in “double banking” the Opposition Leader? But your Eyewitness sees the ego of Nagamootoo in this denuding of Parliament of the noted British value of “fair play”.
We all know about the neutering of Nagamootoo – not only of the powers promised him by the Valentine Day Cummingsburg Accord, but even of those left in the PM’s position after Burnham’s creation of an Imperial Presidency. Let him go back to the functions of Reid, Hoyte, and Hinds and he’d see they all had substantive powers. What did he get but Larwah squared: the Chronic and a shill?
So Nagamootoo’s been fighting an ever increasingly desperate battle to have some relevance in the state of affairs. And seeking to upstage Jagdeo in Parliament is his last gasp. Never mind Parliament’s proprieties. But what has pitiful and puerile ploy actually done for the Government? Embarrassed them, that’s what! Speaking to empty Opposition benches, a junior reporter accused him of “blundering” the presentation of the first budget. He was exposed for the fascist he is when he berated the hapless reporter and insisted the Chronic had to toe the Government – not the state’s – line!
This year, he once again caused the House to be emptied of the Opposition and his bête noir Jagdeo. Did he get any satisfaction from humiliating the Government benches once again? Some of his colleagues from those benches couldn’t take him any longer and walked off. Who wouldn’t?
Nagamootoo once again exposed himself as a person full of only bombast and bluster. What else could you call his support for withdrawing funds for restructuring the sugar industry than a demand (supported only by Ramjattan!) for shutting down the sugar industry?
That he felt compelled to invoke the Public Service workers was such blatant pandering to his erstwhile PNC comrades, it was vomit-inducing. How could he compare the situation of the Government workers – who aren’t threatened by “retrenchment” or a freeze on wages but would receive a ,000 Christmas bonus – with sugar workers?
Nagamootoo added absolutely nothing to the budget debate save adding to global warming with his copious hot air!!
…and VAT
The Government’s trying to extricate the foot that’s stuck firmly in their collective mouths on VAT. Jordan says it was the Tax Review Commission that recommended reducing VAT to 14 per cent. But he didn’t say that should’ve been done last year and this year should’ve been reduced to seven per cent!! Then, in a pitiful display of curry-favouring – in addition to supporting his friend Nagamootoo’s shameless display – Ramjattan “explained” that if VAT was lowered, then it’s base had to be widened!! Really? With the elimination of the “zero rated” exemptions?
After donkey’s years in Parliament, doesn’t know VAT is regressive – that is, it falls heavier on the poor who spend a greater proportion of their wages on VAT-rated purchases – and the zero-rated basket is to help them to have their staples’ cost lowered?
To make up for the loss of revenues from the two per cent% decrease in the VAT rate, why didn’t Ramjattan suggest ministers forego their 50 per cent increases?
…and Christmas lights
Now that the Government has thoughtfully imposed a 15 per cent VAT on electricity above $15,000, your Eyewitness wondered what effect this would have on the traditional Christmas “light up”?
And if folks start using diyas to express their sentiments of the Virgin Birth, would there also be a 15 per cent charge?
